Telephone switch



Jan. 25, 1938. G. FOURNESS TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed Aug. 4, 1936 -4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Girom Fourness v E fiiorzzeys Jan. 25, 1938. e. FOURNESS TELEPHONE SW1 TCH I 4 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1936 mum Inventor Girard Four/72$ H fiorneys Jan. 25, 1938. G. .FOURNESS 2,106,299

TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed Aug. 4, 1936 4 Shets-Sheet 5 H iforpgys Jan. 25, 1938.

G. FOURNESS TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed Aug. 4, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m m QQR Eh C- SOTO LQRBSQ k [Inferior Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE SWITCH Girard Fonrness, Hollywood, Calif.

Application August 4, 1936, Serial No. 94,173

20 Claims.

My invention pertains to a telephone switch used in a so-called intercommunicating telephone system. That is, a system having a comparatively few interconnections in whicih the calling station may make the connection to a par icular station to be called. Such type of system does not employ a switch operator or an automatic central exchange.

One of the objects and features of my invention in this type of telephone switch and interlinking circuits is in the employment of a rotatable dial, this being somewhat similar to the type used in automatic central exchange switching and in which the dial however is only rotated until it brings the desired station to be called toa stop position, this being the position for forming a line connection from the caller to the responding station, Another feature of my invention is that prior to the dialing, a circuit closing or switch arm is maintained in a lowered posi tion, this being normally thrust downwardly by resting the headpiece which incorporates a receiver and transmitter on a button mounted on a shaft which is rotatable with and also vertically slidable through the dial, s-uch dial being in the form of a disc. Therefore, as the disc is rotated with the shaft in its lowered position and such shaft carries the main switch arm, this arm is swung in a circle into position to make a closed circuit connection to the party to be called.

A further feature of my invention is in closing the circuit for establishing the buzzer or similar call and the talking circuit by means of a sec ondary push button which operates through a panel board on which the dial disc rotates, this secondary push button through the medium of a lever elevating the main shaft and main switch arm to complete the circuits.

A further feature of my invention is in the employment of two concentric bus-bars for forming the positive and negative side of the circuit together with a series of pairs'of radial contact plates together with the switch arm having resilient -cohtact fingers, which as the switch arm is elevated engage both of the bus-bars and the selected pair of contact plates for establishing the circuit. plates are arranged in a circle concentric with the two bus-bars, an interconnection may be made to a considerable number of stations depending on the spacing of the pairs of contact plates and the size of the circle in which these are mounted and also the size and spacing of the engaging fingers on the end of the rotating switch Therefore as the series of contact arm which are brought into electrical contact with the pairs of plates.

In the usual type of intercommunicating telephone circuits of this type in which each party directly calls up any one of a plurality of other parties or stations, is that there is no privacy to the conversation, that is, other parties on other stations may listen in and hear the conversation between the caller and the responder.

A further object and feature therefore, of my invention, is in the employment of special circuits with closure switches which are designed to be restricted to calls, for instance, by executives. In the executive calls the dial is operated in the same manner. An executive, however, when calling any of the other stations on the dial has a personal connection so that the conversation, for instance, between the executive and any one of the other cell stations is secret, that is, none of the parties having the ordinary telephone connection can listen in to such conversation. To obtain this result, a further detailed object and feature of my invention is in the employment of closure switches which are actuated by a displacement nub on the main switch arm. This, when engaging movable contacts for the executive calls, closes a circuit which operating through relay, gives a connection between, for instance, a limited number of executive stations and any one of the general stations or another executive station and assures privacy through such lines.

A further feature of my invention is in the employment of a switch, preferably of the movable mercury type, actuated by a pin extending 35 downwardly through the main rotatable shaft, which pin, when the headpiece holds the main shaft and its button depressed and the main switch arm in its lowered and inoperative position, also thrusts downwardly on the movable pin 40 which holds the mercury or similar switch in open circuit position, this switch however, being automatically closed as soon as the headpiece is removed and before the switch arm with its central shaft is raised to its closed circuit position.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the switch assembly taken in the direction of the arrow l of Fig. 5 with the combination head set, transmitter and receiver removed.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows, that'is, a partial bottom view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the ably made of insulating material.

line 3-3 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being shown in elevation and with the main shaft and the switch arm in open circuit position, that is, with the shaft depressed and the switch arm lowered for free rotation on dialing.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. '3 with the main dialing shaft and switch arm elevated in a closed circuit position, the elevating push button being depressed. c

Fig. 5 is a front elevation partly broken away, taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows through the bus and terminal connectors.

Fig. 7 is a partial wiring diagram, indicating two stations of the intercommunicating system having my improved switch and a connection to an executive station, this latter being of a standard design and having more or less conventional circuits and control devices in the circuits.

In the set-up of my invention I employ a case designated by the numeral having a base l2 and peripheral walls I 3. On the upper edge of the walls there is mounted a substantial cover or cap plate I 4. This plate has a central opening |5 therein through which extends a rotatable bushing l6. The cover and bushing are prefer- A dial I1 is rotatably mounted on the top N, there being antifriction bearings 3. This dial has a series of depressions IS in which there are numerals or other insignia 26 to designate the particular stations. A finger stop bar 2| extends upwardly from the cover l4 to form a limit in dialing, it being intended that the dial will be turned in the direction of the arrow 22. (Note Fig. 1.) The dial l1 and the bushing I6 are connected to operate together by screws 23 and slidably mounted in the bushing and sliding through an opening in the dial is the main shaft designated by the assembly numeral 25. This shaft has a square or hexagonal upper section 26 operating through a similar section of the dial and the bushing IE to allow for vertical sliding movement but whereby rotation of the dial rotates the bushing.

0n the upper end of the shaft there is a button head 21 securely attached thereto and a shallow recess 28 with a deep socket 29 formed integral with the button head. The shaft has a lower cylindrical portion 30 and attached to the bottom of the shaft there is a switch arm 3|,

this being of insulating material clamped in place by a nut 32 and held by a screw 33. A central bore 34 extends downwardly through the axial center of the shaft and through this is a switch operating pin 35 having a button head 36 at the top to seat in the shallow recess 26 and normally pressed upwardly by a spring 31 in the socket 29. A sleeve 38 is loose on the cylindrical part of the shaft 25 for rotating and sliding movement and has an annular groove 39. A collar 40 is secured to the shaft, preferably at the lower part of the squared or hexagonal section 26 and has a rubber bumper 4| to engage the sleeve 38.

An insulating base designated by the assembly numeral 45 is suspended by bars 46 from. the under side of the cap l4 and in one of these brackets there is apivotally mounted lever 41 pivoted at 48 and having a yoke 49 engaging in the groove 39 of the sleeve 38. The outer end 50 of this lever is positioned to engage a push pin 5| which operates through a bushing 52 in the cover l4 and has a finger button 53 at the top.

A washer with a cotter pin 54 is secured to thepin 5| and engages a rubber bumper 55, thus limiting the upward movement of the pin 5| which is thrust upwardly by the action 01 the lever 41 in a manner hereinunder detailed.

The insulating base has a bushing 56 therein through which extends the cylindrical part of the shaft 25. A soft rubber bumper 51 surrounds the shaft and stops the sleeve 38 when in its lowermost position. The insulating base has a series of sockets or perforations 58 for a purpose hereinunder detailed and is provided with two circular busesiil and 60, these being preferably constructed of cylindrical metal strips with their upper edges secured in the under side of the insulating base 45 and concentric with the shaft 25. Spaced around the periphery of the base 45 there are a series of pairs of contact plates 6|, there being one pair for each of the dial numerals 20. For purposes of simplification there are only 'eight numbers shown on the dial of Fig. 1 and thus eight of the pairs of the contact plates. These plates have a hook-like upper end 62 to facilitate attaching lead wires indicated at 63 (note Fig. 3) by a soldered connection 64. These lead wires are confined by a cable casing 65 having upper and lower portions, thus making a binding for the series of lead wires extending around the base 45, which is preferably circular on its periphery.

The switch arm 3| is provided with connected resilient fingers 18 to engage the inner bus bar 69 and radial fingers II to engage one of a pair of the plates 6|, these having a connecting strap 12 (note Fig. 6). Another interconnected finger assembly has the resilient fingers 13 to engage the outer bus 60 and the radial resilient fingers 14 to connect with the other plate of a pair of plates 6|, these being integrally connected by a conducting strap 15. These assemblies are attached to the upper side of the switch arm 3|.

An insulating lug is formed integral with the switch arm and has a stud or pin 82 thereon to register with the sockets or perforations 58 in the insulating base 45 and thus assure the proper registry of the switch arm with the pairs of contact plates 6|. In addition the lug 80,. which is formed of insulating material, has a curved nose 83 forming a closure for a switch.

These executive selective switches, designated by the assembly numeral 85 (note Figs. 3 and 4) are mounted on an insulating stand 86 extending upwardly from the insulating base 45 and have a long outer finger 81, a short central finger 88, and a long outer finger 89 mounted thereon, the fingers being insulated one from another. A contact point 90 is on the finger 81 to form a contact with the outer finger 89 only. A normally closed contact 9| is on the finger 89 to normally form a contact with the central finger 8.8. The circuits to these various fingers are described hereinunder.

The purpose of the nose 83 on the switch arm 3| is to change the circuit from the normally closed connection between finger 89 and the central finger 88 to open this connection as shown in Fig. 4. and to close the connection by the contact 90 between the outer finger 89 and the inner finger 81 when the switch arm is raised and the lug 86 and the nose 83 in position to engage one of the assembly of the switches 85.

As above described, the dial I1 is connected to the shaft 25 so that it may rotate such shaft but when the switch arm is in its normal lower position of Fig. 3 when the circuit is open rotating this he the dial manifestly rotates the switch arm. Should ia person using the set, after a conversation, to get to press down on the button head 21,

id is pressed to its lower position by the assembly head set 95, including the transmitter 96 and the receiver end 81 having the hand grip central section 90 which engages the button head 27 when this assembly is placed on the supporting frame 99, this having two uprights I00 with a downwardly bowed connecting strap It! between each pair.

For purposes of convenience the cover plate I 6 has large openings I02 with a receptacle I03 fitted therein to accommodate the transmitter and receiver end 01 the head set.

Prior to dialing, the person using the set should remove the head s'et assembly 95 from the supporting stand, thus exposing the dial for ready manipulation, which dial may be turned by engaging the fingers in the recesses I0 until the desired number is brought to the finger stop 2i which causes the switch arm. to register with the desired pair of contact plates 0i. The finger push button 53 may then be depressed, which rocks the lever 00 and as this lever engages the sleeve 38 this sleeve is elevated, thrusting through the medium of the rubber bumper 5i against the collar 60 which is secured to the shaft 20 and thereby elevates the switch arm from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4, thus making the electrical connections, and the pin 02 fitting in the recess or perforation 58.

When the head piece 05 is removed from the stands 99 the spring 31 thrusting upwardly on the head 36 of the pin 85 operates a mercury switch I05. This is illustrated as the usual type having a tube I00 pivotally mounted on a stem Iili having one end normally pulled downwardly by a tension spring I03 and the lower end of the pin 35 tilting the tube to the position shown in Fig. 3 when the pin 35 is held depressed. Thus the removal of the head piece automatically closes the mercury switch I 05. The purpose of this is detailed hereinunder.

The main switch assembly i I0 (note particularly Fig. 5) has an insulating base III secured to the insulating base $5. This has a lower switch finger I62, a middle long finger H3 and an upper finger H6. All of these fingers are secured in the assembly but insulated one from another. The long finger has an insulated button H5 at the end which is positioned to engage the lever d'i. Such finger is resilient and forms a spring normally tending to elevate the outer end of the lever 37. This forms a closure between the contact nub M6 on the upper finger HQ and the middle finger H3. However, when the finger button 53 and thus the outer end of the lever t? is depressed, the finger H3 'moves downwardly and makes a contact with the contact nub I IT on the upper end of the finger H2. Thus when the switch arm 3! is in its lowermost position of Figs. 3 and 5 and the outer end of the lever d'i is in its upper position, there is a closed circuit between fingers H3 and I id but when the dial is brought to the proper position and the switch arm 3| raised by depressing the finger button 03 and the lever ti, a circuit is closed through the finger I I2 and the long middle finger i I3.

In Fig. 7 I show a partial electrical diagram in which there are two stations, No. 1 and No. 2 of an intercommunicating system. It will be understood that there will be a. number of these and also one or more executive stations, one of these being indicated in Fig. 7 as the executive staand closes the talking contacts.

tion. The executive station includes switching devices now in common use and does not have the dial switch of my present invention. This 7 drawing indicates more or less conventional energizing batteries, retard coils and relays with more or less conventional telephone circuits.

- The general operation may be described as follows in connection with the diagram of Fig. 7. In this diagram the main switch III] is indicated with'the details having the same number as in the other figures. This also applies to the executive selector switch 85. the details of this switch also having the same numerals as in the other drawings. The circular bus-bars 59 and 60 are indicated and also the series of pairs of contact plates BI. This figure however, does not show the switch arm 3| which makes the connection between the bus-bars 59 and 80 and the pairs of contact plates 0 I.

Presuming station No. 1 desires to call station No. 2, he rotates his dial I! to the No. 2 position.

0n removing his hand set 00 there is opened a buzzer circuit to station No. 2 and a closure of his talking circuit. The buzzer circuit is only through the mercury switch and the first action is to energize the buzzer at station No. 2 with the mercury switch closed. At station No. 1 the buzzer circuit to this station No. 2 is operated through the ringing switch. No. 1 after dialing to they proper number, presses the ring-key 53 which connects a positive home line and a negative ring line energizing the buzzer at station No. 2. which station so far in the procedure has the mercury switch open with its hand set inoperative. When No. 2 picks up his hand set he closes his mercury switch, giving him his talking circuit and opening his buzzer circuit.

The talking circuit is therefore completed through No. 1 and No. 2 through the upper and lower parts of No. lsrelay, the plus and minus retard coils to the plus and minus local talking battery indicated as the T line. In this diagram the relay circuit, is shown normally open, that .is, the coil is not energized but the contacts are closed for the talking circuit. To ring-01f after talking, each party independently hangs up his hand set which opens his talking circuit, opensthc mercury switch and closes the buzzer circuit to be in position for another call. Such buzzer is energized by the ring battery. The reverse operation is done when station No. 2 calls station No. 1. In a like manner any two of the stations on the inter-communicating system may call each other.

The operation for an intercommunicating call considered in more detail is substantially as follows: presuming station No. 1 calls station No. 2, the ringing sequence is developed when at station No. 1 the hand set resting on top of the instrument is lifted. The removal of the weight of this allows upward movement of button head 36 and hence of the switch operating pin 35. This latter causes the mercury switch I05 to change its position. This opens the buzzer or ringing contacts This energizes the hand set at station No. 1 from talk batteries through retard coils and relay contacts (the relay contacts are normally closed during intercommunicating use).

At station No. 1 the dial I1 is rotated to the place marked for station No. 2. The person at thus causing the rotatable selector switch 3| to close connections through positive circular bus 59 and station No. 2's positive line also, negative circular bus 00 to station No. 2's negative line.

No. 1 depresses the finger operative button 53, v

While button 58 is depressed the main switch H0 is operated. The spring finger Ii! breaks contact with spring finger H8 and makes contact with spring finger i '1. Current then fiows from ringer battery positive to buzzer at station No. 2 and through mercury switch to ring spring finger I i4 and H8 thence out on station No. 2's positive home line to station No. 1's selected contacts to circular bus 59 then through the relay contacts and to station No. 1's ring spring finger H5, then to ring battery negative wire by a spring finger ll'l.

The talking sequence develops when the hand set at station No. 2 is lifted, thus permitting the button head 86 and the operating pin to rise, allowing the mercury switch ill! at station No. 2

. to change position. This action opens the buzzer or ringing contacts and closes the talking contacts. Such action energizes the station No. 2 hand set from talk battery through retard coils and relay contacts at station No. 2 which action connects station No. 2s home line through relay contacts whereby connections are now established for conversation to be carried over station No. 2s home line with station No. 1.

When any one of the lntercommunicating stations indicated as station No. 1 and station No. 2 calls the executive station, it closes the normally open executive switch. At the executive station there is a shutter relay signal and a buzzer showing which station is calling the executive. This call is made from one of the stations by such station dialing the particular executive connection. When the executive throws his key corresponding to relays energized at the executive he then operates the relay at the intercommunicating station calling him, which action opens the talking circuit between the intercommunicating stations, that is, between stations No. 1 and No. 2. Conversation is then carried on between the executive and the particular intercommunicating station by the executive talk battery supplying the power.

Presuming the executive wishes to talk to one of the intercommunicating stations, for instance, station No. 2, he throws his key switch corresponding to the station No. 2 executive relay which gives a circuit through the lamp at station No. 2 and the relay. This relay opens the local talk battery between the intercommunlcatingstations so that the conversation is private between the executive and the station No. 2. It is necessary that the party at station N0. 2 turn his dial on receiving a lamp signal to the particular execut ive position to close the executive switch having assembly numeral 85. This gives a talk circuit energized by the executive talk battery. The Z battery is for energizing the lamp circuits and relays and the retard coils are equipment designed to reduce or eliminate extraneous noises. It will thus be seen that my switch affords a convenient means for intercommunicating calls between any two stations on the system. However, in such calls any other person on the intercommunicating system could listen in, but ii anyone of the intercommunicating stations calls the executive station, such conversation is private between such two stations.

Executive station calls considered in more detail are substantially as followsi In the ringing sequence executive station calls a substation by depressing his key associated with the sub-line in the executive instrument. which causes current to fiow from the executive talk battery through loud speaker and key con- This closes a circuit tact through line No. 2 to a signal lamp in subset through executive selective switch assembly 85 by the spring contacts 88 and 89 thence through relay coil through Z battery in series with master talk battery and through negative ring Wire. The relay being thus energized opens four contacts which disconnects sub-station from the intercommunicating system and closes two contacts, one of which causes the buzzer to sound and this buzzer stops when the hand set on the substation is liited which allows the plunger 85 to rise in the sub-set and changesthe position of the mercury switch. Substation dial is then rotated to the position indicated by the signal lamp which brings the executive selective switch into position where it may connect executive line wires No. 3 and No. 2 to the circular bus bars 59 and 60. This connection is made by depressing ring key 53 which engages selector switch with the line contact and bus bars and also closes contacts 81 and 89 and opens contacts 88 and 89. This extinguishes the lamp and holds the relay in.

The executive talking sequence to substation is now established and current flows from executive talk battery through loud speaeker through key contacts, wire No. 2, to circular bus 60, through transmitter in hand set, through common wire from hand set to relay contacts, through contacts to negative ring wire, whence it returns to'executive talk battery. This puts executive loud speaker in series with substation transmitter and battery by use of negative ring and No. 2 wires. Executive transmitter is in series with substation receiver and battery in like manner through use of negative ring wire and No. 3 wire. When conversation is completed, substation restores switches to normal by replacing hand set on cradle and executive station key is restored to normal position manually.

The sequence of substation calling executive station is by substation lifting the hand set and and depressing key 53 which interacting with selector switch 3i with the line contacts and bus bars also closes contacts 18 and i9 and opens 88 and 89. This causes relay to operate as above described to close contact in negative return wire. Current may now flow from positive ring battery to executive station through relay and closed key contacts through No. 3 wire to circular bus 59, through mercury switch, through receiver in hand set, through common wire from hand set to relay contacts and back to negative ring battery. This action has energized relays in executive set which closes contacts in local buzzer circuit causing buzzer to sound until cut oil. by buzzer switch or operating a key which establishes a talking circuit, the talking circuit being as above described in connection with the executive station calling a substation.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a telephone switch, a fixed structure having a main shaft rotatable and longitudinally slidable therein, a dial connected to the shaft for rotating the same to any one of a number of stations, a plurality of circular bus-bars mounted on the fixed structure, a plurality of pairs of contacts on the fixed structure, each pair corresponding to a station, a switch arm connected to the shaft and having conducting contact fingers,

axis

' the fingers out of contact, the arm therefore being free for rotation by the dial and a second manually operable means to move the shaft and the switch arm in one only axial direction to en- I gage the fingers with the bus-bars and the fixed contacts.

2. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim l, an executive selector switch mounted on the fixed structure and secured'in a fixed relation to the bus bars and to the fixed contacts and means on the switch arm to operate the said executive selector switch when saidrneans is aligned with the said executive selector switch and moved axially by the second manually operable means.

3. In a telephone switch, a fixed structure including an insulating base with a plurality of circularbus-bars and a plurality of pairs of contact plates arranged in a circle, a main shaft extending through the fixed structure and the insulating base and rotatable and longitudinally slidable therein, a dial having an operative connection to the shaft to rotate the shaft to any one of a number of selective station positions, a main switch arm connected to the shaft to rotate and to be moved axially therewith, said switch arm having contact fingers to engage the circular buses and the pairs of contact plates, a button on the shaft adapted to be engaged by a hand set having a transmitter and a receiver, to move the shaft longitudinally and shift the switch arm out of operative relation to the bus-bars and contact plates to permit rotation of the shaft and the switch arm by the dial, a, second push button having means to elevate the shaft and the switch arm to form a contact between the bus-bars and the contact plates.

4. In a telephone switch, as claimed in claim 3, an operating pin slidably mounted in the said shaft and having a head adapted to be engaged by a hand set and held depressed, a first switch engaged by the said pin and held in one position by the pin when depressed, the said head of the pin having a spring connection with the shaft whereby on removal of the hand set the said pin is elevated and means'on elevation of the said pin to move the first switch to a second position.

5. In a telephone switch the combination of a fixed structure having contacts for selective switching, a rotatable and axially movable shaft having a switch arm thereon with conducting contact fingers, means to rotate the shaft and the arm to selective positions, a first manually operable means to move the shaft axially and thereby move the arm to bring the fingers into engagement with the contacts, a main switch positioned to be operated by the first manual means and actuated when the fingers are brought into closed circuit with the said contacts.

6. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim 5, an executive selective switch, the said arm having a lug to engage the selective switch when rotated on its axis in alignment therewith and when moved by the first manual means to form a closed circuit between the fingers and the contacts.

7. In a telephone switch, the combination of a fixed structure having contacts for selective switching, a rotatable and axially movable shaft having a switch arm thereon with contact fingers and a button on the upper end of the shaft, a

hand set, means to support said set in an inoperative position bearing on the button and holding the switch arm depressed, a pivoted lever having a connection to the shaft whereby on depression of the lever the said shaft is raised to bring the contact fingers into engagement with the fixed contacts, a dial having a connection with the shaft for rotating the same but allowing the shaft to have longitudinal movement therethrough whereby the switch arm by rotation of the shaft may be moved to selective positions.

8. In atelephone switch, as claimed in claim '7, a main switch mounted on'the fixed structure and in a position to be actuated by the lever on depression of such lever to operate the main switch, an executive selective switch also mounted on the fixed structure, the said switch arm having a lug to align with the selective switch, the lug operating said selective switch on-raising of the shaft and the arm.

, 9. In a telephone switch, as claimed in claim 7, a mercury switch located in a fixed position in regard to the fixed structure, a pin operating through the said shaft and having a head engaged by the hand set when in its inoperative position and to retain the mercury switch in a first position, a spring interacting between the head of the pin and the button to elevate the pin on re-' moval of the hand set, the mercury switch having means to move the same to a second position.

10. In a telephone switch, a switch housing having a cover with a dial rotatably mounted thereon, an insulating base in the housing and having contacts for selective switching, a shaft journalled in the top and the base and operating through the dial for rotation and vertical movement, a switch arm connected to the shaft and having contact fingers for engaging the selective contacts, the dial being operative to rotate the shaft and the arm to align the arm with a particular set of contacts, a, push button, an operating means acuated thereby and connected to the shaft to elevate the shaft and the arm to make a connection between the fingers and the particular contacts aligned therewith, the said base having a main switch mounted thereon and actuated by the said operating means, the main switch being adapted to form a talking circuit with a station having a similar telephone switch.

11. In a telephone switch. as claimed in claim 10, the insulating base having a selector switch mounted thereon, the switch arm having a lug alignable therewith to operate the selective switch when the said arm is raised, a connection from the selector switch to an executive station, the said selector switch being operative to disconnect the said telephone switch from a similar switch.

12. In a telephone connection, a plurality of telephone switches, each having a fixed structure with fixed contacts for selective switching, a rotatable and axially movable shaft having a switch arm with contact fingers, a hand set, a supporting means for the set to retain the arm in a lowered position, means to rotate the arm for alignment .with any specific contacts, means to elevate the arm to form a connection between the fingers and a specific contact, means establishing a ringing connection between a first and a second station on removal of the hand set from the first station, a main switch for each telephone switch actuated by the elevation of the switch arm to form a talking circuit between the first station and the second or called station.

13. In a telephone connection as claimed in claim 12, a selective switchat each telephone switch, an executive station having a ringing connection to any one of the stations having the said ing means for opening a talking circuit between c the particular station called by the executive station and the other stations having the said telephone switches.

14. In a telephone connection, a plurality of intercommunicating stations each having a fixed structure with a plurality of sets 01' contacts, there being one set for each of the other stations, each i station having a selective switching arm with contact fingers alignable with any set of fixed contacts and movable to engage such set, a hand set at each station with a supporting means to retain the switch arm inoperative, a main switch at each station, connections and means to form a ringing circuit from a first station to a second station on removal of the hand set from a stand at the first station and on moving the switch arm at the first station to form a connection between the fingers of the arm at the first station and the set of contacts at the first station representing the second station, means operated at the first station by the movement of the switch arm to make the connection between the fingers and the contacts and electrical connections from the main switch to all of the stations establishing a talking circuit to all of the other stations.

15. In a telephone connection as claimed in claim 14, a selective switch at each station, an executive station having a ringing connection to any one of the intercommunicating stations with means to ring at a particular station, the switch arm at such station being movable to actuate its selective switch and means connected to the selective switch to form a talking circuit between the executive station and the particular intercommunicating station called and means actuated by the operation of the said selective switch at the station called to open a circuit between the intercommunicating station called by the executive station and all of the other intercommunicating stations.

16. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim 1, the second manually operable means comprising a pivoted lever with a manually operable means to move same in one direction only and a main switch positioned to be operated by said lever.

17. In a telephone switch a fixed mounting with a plurality of completely circular bus bars with connections for energizing to opposite polarity and a plurality of pairs of conductor contact plates, a rotating switch arm rotatable on the axis or the buses and longitudinally movable on its axis of rotation, said armhaving electrical conductor contact fingers to engage the pair of buses and any one of the pairs of contact plates.

18. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim 17, a first manually operable means to rotate the switch on its axis with the contact fingers out of engagement with the buses and the pairs of contact plates and a second manually operable means to move the switch arm longitudinally on its axis to make the contacts.

19. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim 17, a first manually operable means to rotate the switch arm on its axis with the fingers out of contact with the buses and the pairs of contact plates, 8. second manually operable means to move the switch arm longitudinally on its axis in one direction only to make contacts between the bus bars, the fingersand the pairs of plates and a main switch operated by the second manual means during movement of the switch arm longitudinally 'on its axis of rotation.

20. In a telephone switch as claimed in claim 17, an executive selective switch mounted in a fixed position in relation to the bus bars and the fixed contacts and means on the switch arm positioned to pass said switch when the fingers are out of contact with the bus bars and the pairs of contact plates, but operable when in alignment with the selective switch and when the arm is moved longitudinally to make contacts with the bus bars and the contact plates to operate the said selective switch.

GIRARD FOURNESS. 

